The Associated Press

MONTREAL – Rob Bell impressed the right guy.

Monday, July 31, 2000

MONTREAL – Rob Bell impressed the right guy.

”He did well today, the kid did a good job,” Cincinnati manager Jack McKeon said after the 23-year-old struck out nine in 7 2-3 innings as the Reds completed a three-game sweep of the Montreal Expos with a 7-4 victory Sunday.

Bell (5-6), recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday, tied his career-best in strikeouts and walked four.

”I was really nervous my first two innings,” Bell said. ”You have to re-prove yourself at this level. I feel good with the way I came back today and pitched well for six of those 7 2-3 innings.”

Making his 16th major league start – all this season – Bell allowed four runs and eight hits in his first start since June 23.

”There’s a certain amount of pressure to perform every time,” Bell said. ”I proved that I can pitch here. This is a good start.”

The Reds, who trailed St. Louis by a season-high 10 games in the NL Central on July 5, moved within four as the Cardinals lost 4-2 to the New York Mets. That’s the closest Cincinnati has been since trailing by 3 1/2 on June 13.

”If he can give us seven innings like today, he’ll be a key guy,” McKeon said.

Eddie Taubensee went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI doubles for the Reds.

Taubensee, who had his ninth career four-hit game Friday, and three more hits on Saturday, hit a run-scoring double off Dustin Hermanson (8-9) in the second inning and another in the fourth.

He singled in the sixth for his 10th hit of the three-game series. Taubensee, who struck out against reliever Scott Forster in the eighth, went 10-for-14 in the series to raise his average from .239 to .264.

”I know I can still hit,” Taubensee said. ”I’ve hit in the past. It’s just one of those things you really have to fight through and keep working hard. I knew I was going to come out of it and to have a huge series like this is really a confidence builder.”

Sean Casey doubled in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 21 games before leaving in the bottom half with a sore right leg.

Dmitri Young replaced Casey at first base and hit his 12th homer in the sixth to put Cincinnati ahead 4-1. Ken Griffey Jr.’s sacrifice fly in the seventh made it 5-1.

Montreal drew within one with three runs in the eighth.

Vladimir Guerrero singled leading off, and Lee Stevens followed with his 19th homer – his first since July 14. Andy Tracy hit his fourth home run two outs later.

Dante Bichette’s two-run double in the ninth made it 7-4.

Danny Graves, who pitched three shutout innings to get his 10th win Saturday, got the final out for his 18th save in 20 opportunities.

”It was a big weekend for our whole team,” Taubensee said. ”It’s starting to get exciting for us. The team is starting to gel together and we’re having a lot of fun.”

Montreal lost its sixth straight to fall a season-worst seven games under .500 at 47-54. The Expos are 16-31 (.340) since they were a season-high eight games over .500 for the second time this season on June 5.

”We have a great core group of guys,” Hermanson said. ”We’ve tried to pull through the injuries but it’s kind of tough when you don’t have the same team we had that first month, coming out of spring training, because of all the injuries.”

Hermanson allowed nine hits and five runs in seven innings. He is 2-5 in his last seven starts.HF